UNHCR, Google sponsor charity run for refugees

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has joined Google Thailand to organise a charity run to raise funds to help the UN refugee agency to tackle refugee crises.

The run, called “YouTube Run for UNHCR”, will be held on February 18 at King Rama IX Park.

“As human beings we should help and take care of each other. I’d like to invite all Thais to join the run and stand by the refugees during their hard times,” Thai actress and model Praya “Pu” Lundberg, a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador, said during a press conference on Thursday.

The present period marks the worst crisis and highest number of refugees since World War Two, she said.

Ben King, Google Thailand’s country director, said as the number of refugees was increasing, Google, which owns YouTube, wanted to be part the solution to the crisis and raise awareness in society.

Funds raised by the run will be given to the UNHCR to support its operations, including in emergency situations such as Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.